I Saw Her on the Subway
by IHeartPixyStix
Summary: Suddenly,a gorgeous brunette caught his eye as she entered the subway and slipped into the spot directly across from him.His brain very slowly registered the fact that it was her,that it was actually her,but he said nothing. Rated for language/insinuation
1. Chapter 1

_I Saw Her on the Subway_

Disclaimer: I really own very little. Story idea, etc. You get the idea.

Summary: Suddenly, a gorgeous brunette caught his eye as she entered the subway and slipped into the spot directly across from him. His brain very slowly registered the fact that it was her, that it was actually her, but he said nothing. What was there to say, really?

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Chapter 1

Her eyes were glued to the pages of the novel in her hand while she walked down the New York City sidewalk. A dangerous feat, considering she could run into another oblivious pedestrian, get mugged, or run over by an overzealous cab driver. However, she pushed all these thoughts from her mind, at least for the time being. After all, she owed her editor a review on this book by the next morning.

Rory Gilmore had finally landed a dream job for a journalist. Her column ran in the New York Times every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. She was able to write about whatever she pleased, and in order to attract writers from all walks of life, her topics varied greatly.

One day she might choose to discuss politics or men or historical events and another she might take a more whimsical approach and discuss childhood stories, shoes, or even men. Her favorite form of writing was to review books, movies, or bands that she had seen or heard. Really, the only topic that went untouched was athletics, with the exception of one rambling article about how she would never again write about sports since she really had no clue what she was saying.

Rory finally landed herself on a dingy subway seat which helped her avoid most of the dangers of walking and reading simultaneously. After a few more minutes she reached the end of a chapter and allowed her attention to drift for a moment. Within seconds she realized that the man sitting across the way was staring at her intently.

He had been sitting on the subway for at least twenty minutes and still had a few stops to go. Somewhere along the way he had found a seat and was now relaxing, letting the music on his iPod drown out the city sounds. He was on his way to work, still a struggling writer; the Subsect proving to be his only real success, selling just over 8000 copies.

He still worked for Truncheon books, where many other authors were finding fame. The business had become so successful, in fact, that they'd formed a small branch in New York City which Jess and his coworker, Nathan, had volunteered to manage. Their workspace was small, a one room, second floor apartment, all the way across town from their shared, modest apartment.

Suddenly, a gorgeous brunette caught his eye as she entered the subway and slipped into the spot directly across from him. What initially caught his attention was the fact that she was reading a novel while walking, her eyes moving steadily across the page, never straying. What kept his attention was the fact that he recognized her. His brain very slowly registered the fact that it was her, that it was actually her, but he said nothing. What was there to say, really?

Instead, he allowed himself to study her. She had matured greatly since he had seen her last. Thirty-one was treating her well. Her body was still magnificently slim, with soft curves in all the right places. He admired her long legs and even noted her unique, yet professional attire. Her black skirt hugged her hips and legs, cutting off just below her knees, which, paired with black high heels, accentuated her calves. A matching blazer was unbuttoned to show off her red Monkees tee shirt. Her hairstyle was similar to when they'd spoken last, just a bit shorter. He couldn't help but notice that her fingers were void of any large engagement or wedding bands.

He chuckled softly aloud at her obvious concentration towards the book her nose was buried in. He knew the moment her concentration broke and she noticed his gaze, oh alright, his open staring. But it was all with good intentions. She shifted uncomfortably and glanced up at him and back down very quickly before his appearance clicked in her mind and her eyes shot back up to meet his. He smiled warmly, already removing his ear buds and turning off his iPod. She dog-eared the corner of the page she was reading and shut her book.

"Jess." She breathed his name softly, almost unsure that he was really sitting there. Her voice had a huskier quality to it, more womanly and mature, yet he would have recognized it instantly.

She was uncomfortable with the blatant scrutiny but she had never been the type to confront someone, even a rude patron on the subway. Instead she looked up; trying to scare away whatever creepy old man was staring. She looked back down to her book before it hit her. The slightly mussed brown hair, the scruffy five o'clock shadow at seven in the morning, the warm, knowing eyes, and the familiar mischievous smirk on his lips; it was Jess.

He was busy wrapping the earphones cord around his iPod and tucking it away in his manly, leather shoulder bag, his eyes still on her, so she marked her page and shut her book. Was it really him or was she dreaming, yet again? Almost unknowingly she spoke his name.

His smirk grew into a smile, "Hey, Rory."

Her breath caught in her throat at his deep, scratchy voice. He sounded just like she had remembered but she could tell by his neat appearance that he had changed a great deal. Instead of sporting black jeans and a dirty tee shirt he was wearing a pair of dark, expensive looking blue jeans with a black Beatles tee shirt and a black sports coat. She couldn't help but remember that The Beatles had always been his dirty little secret. He had been a Beatles junkie, unknown to everyone but her, of course.

"You look-" She cleared her throat nervously. Why was she so nervous? "You look different. Good, I mean. Really good."

"Thanks. You look fantastic too."

He held back a smirk as she blushed a bright scarlet color. Obviously she hadn't changed that much. He mischievously wondered what she would do if her made a dirty comment or joke but managed to refrain. Not now, it just wasn't the appropriate time.

She wrung her hands in her lap, a sure sign that she was flustered and at a loss for words, an uncommon thing for a Gilmore girl. He wondered why he made her so uncomfortable and was tempted to wait for her to let loose a torrent of meaningless words, just for old time's sake. However, he had matured enough to realize he shouldn't do that to her so he broke the silence between them.

"How have you been?"

She smiled at him gratefully, "Good. Really good actually. I-um-I have a column in the Times. It's amazing. I really love it."

He already knew that. It was one of his favorite columns; then again, he could be biased. He had also read any other articles she had written for the Times before she was granted her own space in the paper. He acted surprised though, for her sake. "Wow, Rory, that's great. I'm proud of you."

Another blush. "Thank you."

"What happened to being an international correspondent?" He couldn't help but ask.

She shrugged, a bit embarrassed but determined to answer honestly. After all, it was only Jess; they'd known each other forever.

"I couldn't handle it. I mean, I loved it, but I never got to go home. Right after college, I followed Barack Obama's campaign trail for two years. I didn't get to go home once. To be perfectly honest, I missed my mom."

He was surprisingly understanding, "That's perfectly reasonable. You and Lorelai are so close, it's understandable that you would miss her and it's not like you don't have a great job now. The Times. That's so great, Rory. So many people dream to aspire what you have."

He was being very sweet and unconventional, at least for the Jess she used to know. Then again, she did remember him being very mature and caring when he'd come to visit her at Yale. He had been so reasonable, wanting the best for her. She suddenly felt the urge to tell him about Logan.

"I'm not with Logan anymore." She blurted.

His eyes widened a bit. He was surprised at this sudden admission, though he'd suspected it. After all, Huntzberger wouldn't stay with Rory this long without claiming her as his wife. He was secretly excited, an uncommon emotion for him, but outwardly appeared calm.

"Really?"

It seemed his simple question prompted a response because she spent the next ten minutes describing in detail what had happened between them. She went on to explain how she had only dated two other mean seriously since then and was currently single.

He was pleased to hear that she was single, though he didn't really know why. It wasn't as if the two of them would get together. They had tried that once before and it hadn't worked. It didn't matter that they had both changed and matured greatly. Or did it? He pushed the thought from his mind and concentrated on what she was saying.

After the announcement that she was single, Rory fell silent. She realized that she had been talking about herself quite a bit and Jess had sat there quietly, nodding politely at all the right times, listening intently. It was unbelievable how rude she was being.

"So, how have you been? What are you doing with yourself these days?" As she spoke the words she realized how old and stuck up they made her seem and she was actually embarrassed. Then again, there was no reason to show off for Jess. He had already seen her at her worst.

"Well," He paused to collect his thoughts, "I still work for Truncheon. We branched to the city and one of the guys moved here with me to run it."

"That's great!" She interjected." Are you still writing?"

He didn't seem at all fazed by the interruption, "Yeah, I think I always will. Nothing great though."  
"Nothing great? What are you talking about? Everything you've ever written has always been amazing, Jess!"

He was crazy! Even when they were kids and she'd read his notebooks while he was showering, or cooking her a burger, his writing was amazing, way beyond expectations. From short little drabbles, to one-liners, to pages of stories, everything Jess wrote were pieces of art.

"I don't know. I mean, some stuff has been published but nothings done very well."

"You're published? Other than The Subsect? Where can I find these books?"

She was very well of the fact that they'd be at her stop in another minute or two and felt slightly panicked at the thought of parting from Jess. Would they ever see each other again?

He watched her face contort into displeasure as the conductor announced the next stop. As he listened he realized that the Times was at this stop and she would be getting off. He correctly deduced that this was the reason for her odd facial expression. It was nice to realize that she didn't want to leave his company, especially since the feelings mirrored his own. The solution was simple.

"I have a couple extra copies. I'm working late tonight. Why don't you swing by Truncheon and pick them up?"

She appeared to be relieved. "That'd be great. Where is it?"

Digging in his bag, he produced a pen and scrap of paper and scribbled the address upon it. She accepted it gratefully as the train screeched to a stop.

"It was great catching up with you, Jess. I'll be by tonight. Probably around six-thirty. Gotta run!"

"See you." He called after her.

He watched her go, her own leather messenger bag bouncing off her hip as she briskly walked away. The male pig in him couldn't help but notice she had a nice butt. However, the gentleman in him pushed this thought from his mind and tried to concentrate on how much she had changed and how lovely and poised she had been. Jess usually didn't get excited at things but he was looking forward to seeing her again. He hoped she would keep her word and come by. He knew he wouldn't be able to leave the shop unless she did.

Rory waited until she had reached the top of the stairs before she stopped to read the paper Jess had handed her. She stopped so abruptly, in fact, that the business man behind her almost walked right into her. He grumbled something as he walked around her but she ignored him. She studied the neat scrawl across the page, deciding that Jess' handwriting hadn't changed one bit.

She couldn't wait till their encounter that night and knew she would not be able to concentrate on her work till she saw him. A large cup of coffee and some distracting office gossip would do the job; however, she knew the day would still drag on much too slowly. As she headed down the street and pushed open the doors to The Times she couldn't help but hope that he would ask her out.

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A/N: Well. There you go. Chapter one down. I have to admit, this is my favorite chapter thought I probably shouldn't. Oh well. Also, a note I just remembered, I used pronouns like she/he excessively in this story, using names as little as possible. At least I tried to for a different feel. I don't know how I did or if I succeeded but again, oh well. I'm being optimistic.

Also, don't make me beg for reviews. But I love them. So please review; comments, compliments, critiques, whatever vibe you're feeling towards this story, I wanna know. Thanks much!

Next chapter should be up in a couple days. My guess would be anywhere from Tuesday to Thursday-ish. But definitely this week.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wow, I just went back and read chapter 1 and realized I promised the rest of this story about two years ago. Clearly, I'm not reliable. And to be honest, it's been written since then. I wrote all three chapters at the same time. Anyway, I'm back now and honestly, I have a lot of favorite stories that have been abandoned for more than 4 years! I've only been gone 2 and I'm officially back! So here is chapter 2. Again, I'm sorry it took so long, I hope I still have readers! Enjoy!

**Chapter 2**

_(Approximately 2.5 years later)_

A giggle escaped her lips as his fingers probed into her sides. She gasped for air but he was relentless.

"Jess! Jess! Please, stop! Please!"

"Say it!" He ordered, pausing briefly.

"Never!" She replied and he continued his attack on her stomach.

"Say it!"

"You have this bad ass persona, but I know your dirty little secret!" She managed through her giggles.

"Shut up." He growled and continued tickling her.

He chuckled as she squirmed beneath him on his bed. It was obvious that she was in discomfort but he would not let up till she cried uncle.

"Fine!" She squealed. "I promise I won't tease you about The Beatles anymore!"

He paused, fingers ready in case she was trying to trick him.

"They own! I love The Beatles! I really do! And it's perfectly okay that you're addicted. I swear! I won't tease you anymore!"

Satisfied, he rolled off of her and onto his back. "Thank you."

"However," She began.

One look from him ended whatever thought she was about to voice. He sighed and let his eyes shut, just for a moment.

She smiled to herself as she watched him drift off to sleep. His breathing grew slower, his chest rising and falling steadily. She traced a finger across his jaw and crawled from his bed. She slipped her shoes back on her feet; she had to get back to work. A quick lunch date had somehow turned into stopping by Jess' apartment to get a couple CD's which had morphed into cuddling on his bed, for just a few minutes. A few minutes had somehow turned into an hour and she knew she would be in trouble when she got back to work but it was worth it.

A kiss to his cheek brought a slight sigh from his lips but she could tell he was sound asleep. She scrawled a note and left it on the pillow beside him before grabbing her bag and hurrying down the street to the subway station. Even midday the subways were crowded so she found a spot standing, clutching the handrail tightly.

The past two and a half years had been so happy and wonderful, yet so secretive and depressing. Rory had never been so unsure of a relationship. Jess, of course, had been all for the two of them dating. He had been the one to first suggest it, asking her to dinner that night they'd first reunited.

A bit wary, she had agreed to just one dinner and before she knew it, she was in deeper than she was sure she wanted to be. Something inside her always stopped her from fully committing herself to Jess but she wasn't quite sure what it was.

Jess rolled over sleepily and his face crunched a piece of paper. He frowned and lifted his head, lifting the paper and squinting to read it. 'Back to work! See you later!' She had drawn a small heart beneath the words, but no 'I love you.' He wasn't surprised; she had never uttered the words to him. She acted like she loved him but no matter how many times he said it, she would not respond.

She always said she didn't know why they couldn't be an official couple, after all they'd been together for the past two and a half years, and they certainly acted like a couple. Jess, however, knew exactly what her fears were. He had left her once, when they were mere teenagers and she was afraid it would happen again.

He couldn't help but be hurt by knowing that she thought this, even if she wouldn't admit it to herself. Wasn't it obvious how much he had changed? But he loved her deeply and for the most part was happy so he went along with it, accepting whatever acts of love she offered him but never forcing the words. He hadn't even told Lorelai or Luke they'd reunited, per her request.

Had it been up to him, they would be engaged by now, perhaps living together, and of course, Lorelai would know every detail of their relationship, no matter how uncomfortable the thought made him. Knowing Lorelai was oblivious to this relationship made it less appealing and somewhat dirty. He couldn't help but feel rejected, like Rory was ashamed of him somehow, though he knew that wasn't the case.

He stretched and climbed off his bed. In all truthfulness, he needed to get back to work as well. Truncheon was growing more and more successful. Nathan and Jess could no longer handle the New York branch alone and had hired three more men and a woman, similar to themselves. They had moved the business from the one room apartment to a much larger, ground level store, with a large front window in which they imprinted their name. The store was more welcoming and growing more and more popular because of it.

Jess and his coworkers had even considered branching out to the west coast, California or Washington. Secretly, Jess hoped it would happen so that he could volunteer for the job. As much as he loved Rory, it hurt too much to be her secret lover, rather than her actual boyfriend. Sometimes, anything, even leaving, seemed better than enduring her treatment.

He often wondered if he would actually take the opportunity if it presented itself. He knew that he would be taking it for the wrong reasons and he knew that he would be proving Rory right and hurting not only her, but himself in the process, but really, was that so much worse than their current situation?

Another frustrated sigh and he pulled on his shoes. He wouldn't leave her. He couldn't because he loved her. He had been young and foolish before. He was selfish but now he knew exactly what he was risking and he had never been much of a gambler.

That night, when she got back to her apartment, the door was already unlocked which made her slightly nervous for a moment until she opened it fully and the smell of garlic wafted into her nose. Jess. He poked his head out of her kitchen.

"Hey, I made you dinner to make up for making you late this afternoon."

He was so sweet. And always thoughtful. Yet, he did have a track record for acting sweet and then disappearing. She couldn't forget that.

"It smells amazing. I'm just going to change."

"Well, hurry. It'll be ready in two minutes."

Rory deliberately ignored his command and took her time selecting a pair of purple yoga pants and a navy Yale tee shirt before carefully hanging up her work clothes. She finally returned to the kitchen but stopped short in the doorway.

Jess was unaware of her presence for the moment and she used the time to study him. He was wearing jeans and a slightly wrinkled black tee shirt; no shoes. Standing over the stove like that, with his messy, tousled hair she couldn't help but think about how sexy he was. No matter what his "track record" was, she couldn't deny how sexy he was.

He turned off the stovetop burner and turned to call Rory but found her standing in the doorway staring at him, her face covered with love and lust. Admittedly, he felt the exact same. She did, naturally, appear very enticing in her too tight casual wear. She licked her lips slowly, unaware of the affect the action had on him. It took no more prompting for Jess to cover the distance between them.

She was surprised but not at all disappointed when she suddenly found herself wrapped in his embrace, pressed up against the doorway between her kitchen and living room. She loved his kisses, always had. His touch was soft and gentle, yet rough and demanding. She often wondered if such a combination was even possible or if she had imagined it all. She wasn't being that logical at the moment thought. Not with his hands grasping her hips, his fingers digging into the skin of her lower back. Somewhere along the way to her bedroom, she lost all ability to form concrete thoughts and she let her senses take over.

Her bare shoulder was warm against his cheek. He heard the slightest rumble from her stomach, followed by a larger one. He laughed out loud and she grinned sheepishly.

"Hungry?" He teased, already climbing from the bed and pulling his clothes on.

She giggled childishly, "Well, you did make me miss dinner."

He crawled over to her side of the bed and pressed a kiss to her neck, pulling away only to let her put her tee shirt back on.

"I couldn't help it." He defended himself. He kissed her neck again and let his fingers dance across her stomach to pull her into a hug.

"I love you." He offered, never sure how she would respond but always knowing it would not be with the answer he wanted. This time he felt her tense up and suddenly his arms were in his lap and she was headed towards the bedroom door.

He was usually good at dealing with this rejection; easy going, respectful of her feelings, but this time, very suddenly, he was pissed. A white hot anger that he hadn't experienced in years. He stormed after her, raging.

"What the hell, Rory?!"

He saw her jump but only processed her fear in the back of his mind and pressed her further. "Rory, I love you! Why can't you just get past this notion that I'm going to leave you? I was a stupid teenager back then, Ror! I didn't even know what love was! If you would just sit down and think about it, you'd realize that I've changed! I don't want to spend my whole life paying for my mistakes and that's what you're making me do! Give me a call when you've made up your fucking mind!"

She was always too scared to respond to his proclamations of love. This was almost the time, almost. But she couldn't help pushing him away. It was so wrong but she completely abandoned him and went to get food.

Before she knew what was happening he was standing there screaming at her. It was like an explosion. One moment he was there, screaming at her and the next the door was slamming behind him.

She was in far too deep and she knew it. He had promised that he wouldn't leave and then he left. It hurt more than she thought it would. She wanted to feel satisfied. He'd left. He'd done it. Jess Mariano had lived up to his reputation and left her standing in her living room, completely shocked and alone. But she couldn't. It was hard to feel satisfied when this wasn't actually what she had wanted. She never actually _wanted_ him to go. She just expected him to.

She'd been mentally preparing herself for this scenario for the past two and a half years but for some reason was still hurt and surprised. It didn't entirely make sense in her temporarily boggled mind. She'd kept a very respectful distance between her and Jess, making sure she didn't get too attached. By the way she was currently feeling, it was apparent she hadn't actually done as well as she'd originally thought.

At that moment, there was only one thing she could think to do. It may not make things right, in fact, it definitely wouldn't but she couldn't help herself. She needed something to help dissolve this feeling of rejection. She had to do something, anything to make herself stop thinking about Jess. With one hand already dialing his cell phone number, she went to her closet to change.

A/N: Again, this story had a different feel from my other stories but I really hope you like it anyway. I know I've proved myself to be unreliable but I DO have Chapter 3 written and would love to have it up very soon. Fine, don't believe me, I guess I'll just have to prove you all wrong. Keep in mind, this is a three part story so there's only one chapter left.

As always, thanks so much for reading. I love my readers and love your reviews too! I know I've been mean in not posting for so long, but I would very much appreciate some reviews. Good, bad, or otherwise. :)


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